CROATIAN OFFICIALS MEET BOSNIAN, MACEDONIAN, SERBIAN, EU AMBASSADORS

ZAGREB, March 3 (Hina) - The State Secretary at the Croatian Foreign Ministry, Hido Biscevic, and Assistant Foreign Minister Neven Madey held a working lunch in Zagreb on Wednesday with Bosnia's Ambassador Zlatko Dizdarevic, Macedonia's Mahi Nesimi, Serbia and Montenegro's Milan Simurdic, and the head of the European Commission's Delegation to Croatia, Ambassador Jacques Wunenberger, . #L# The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Croatian officials informed their guests about the progress Croatia had achieved in the political dialogue with the European Union and the fulfilment of membership criteria. They stressed the importance of regional cooperation and the implementation of conclusions of the Thessaloniki Declaration, particularly in light of EU membership prospects of all countries in the region. Assistant Foreign Minister Madey informed the ambassadors of recent talks about the drawing up of the EU's opinion on Croatia's membership application and political talks between Croatian and EU Troika officials. The meeting also addressed the economic cooperation and relations between Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro in light of the EU's goals and priorities in the power industry, transport, cooperation between ports, and environmental protection, says the statement. Participants in the meeting confirmed the importance of promoting cooperation in the region outside the context of the disintegration of the former federation and orienting it towards the accomplishment of EU membership on an individual basis and through mutual cooperation, reads the statement. (Hina) rml sb